What's Up, Up Here?

September 24, 2010

Tourism director John Urdi, a go-getter from the get-go, snagged town development wonk Mark Wardlaw at Wednesday’s Town Council meeting, saying, “I want to talk to you about branding.” The ever-sharp Wardlaw replied, “You show me a young calf and I’ll show you what I know.” ...

All of us pass along heartfelt good wishes to Mayor Skip Harvey, who is battling throat cancer. He should be back in action by mid-November, say those in the know ...

New schools superintendent Rich Boccia, who grew up in New York and still has that awful, er, distinctive, New Yawk accent, said to the Town Council the other night, “I’m a Yankees fan and I hope you don’t hold that against me.” Well, um ...

That was a swell birthday bash for Stacy Corless at Nevados Monday night. The Mammoth glitterati showed up in all their fleecy finery. ...

Rusty Gregory, as a member of the state’s tourism board, palled around with Governor Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger in Japan this past week. The Guv was selling California, while Rusty was selling California and, whaddya know, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area. Wonder if the hosts got a word in edgewise. ...

This was the week for record-short meetings. Tuesday, with both John Eastman and Skip Harvey absent, the Wildlife Committee had no policy makers on board, so it was public comments then out. On Wednesday, the Planning Commission adjourned after 30 minutes, with no new plans. ...

We got news that longtime Mammothites Patti and Ralph Rea rolled their car between Little Lake and Olancha the weekend of Sept. 11-12. Ralph’s OK, but Patti was airlifted to Antelope Valley Hospital and is expected to remain in the hospital for a couple more weeks. Son Chip Rea says his mother cheered when she heard that UCLA won its football game this past weekend. Patti loves cards; here’s her address: Patti Rea, Antelope Valley Hospital, 1600 Avenue S, Lancaster, CA 93534. ...

Former Mammoth resident Tim Fitzgerald is back in school, again. The 64-year-old is the beneficiary of a little-known Cal State University program that allows senior citizens to enroll – free of charge. Fitzgerald, while living on paltry Social Security and disability, is completing his fifth degree at San Jose State and his third master’s (philosophy, history, sociology). That’s hitting the books! ...

We know the GEICO gecko has a Cockney accent, very definitely not anything other, but every time those commercials pop up, our Americanized ears hear the voice of the wonderfully bookish Dave Leonard, he of the Booky Joint. Separated at birth? ... The Tuolumne Meadows Grill and Mountain Shop in Yosemite will remain open during operating hours through Sunday and until noon Monday. After that, see ya next year. ... Tony Barrett lunched with Ormat Technology on Wednesday. What’s brewing on the GEO front, a new building to anchor the living laboratory project? ...

Husky pups are running. This is not like the salmon are running, but it’s the 22nd year the grammar school kids run to raise money for their school. Today they’ll have Olympians Deena KastorAnna Pierce and Nancy Fiddler running with them. Fun! Run! ...

Many thanks from Lakes Basin cabin owner Walt Quillin to the police, Forest Service, Fish & Game, et al., for taking care of the Break-in Bear earlier this month. “It was a long, painful experience for everybody,” he said at the town’s Wildlife Committee meeting Tuesday. “A lot of our people are elderly, and they’re sleeping much better now. No hard feelings whatsoever.”

Yup, that was Mammoth Mountain’s Woolly throwing out the first pitch at yesterday’s Dodgers game. Not much heat, but lots of action on his breaking stuff. ... Looks like a slam dunk for Mammoth’s ice rink this winter at the Sierra Nevada Lodge, except the aforementioned Mark Wardlaw reminds us that it’s a “skating facility.” “That’s because there is no ice!” quoth he. Indeed, the surface is synthetic ice, like they use in S.F.’s Union Square during the holidays. ...

The number of applicants for a medical marijuana dispensary has shrunk from five to three. Planning Commish will hear ’em out on Oct. 27.